By Shannon Flynn

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's foremost authority in cloud computing. The company accounts for a massive 32% of the global cloud market, more than its two largest competitors combined. It should come as no surprise, then, that its annual re:Invent conference always comes with some landmark moments.

Between re:Invent 2021's five keynote addresses and 15 leadership sessions, there was a lot to learn this year. Here's a recap of five of the most significant takeaways for the future of the cloud.

Snowball Edge Enables Tape Data Migration

One of the biggest announcements of the event was an expansion to AWS's Snowball Edge service. The edge computing and migration platform can now include offline tape data. With much of the world's data still on tape today, this extension could help organizations across the globe maximize their storage modernization.

This feature will let companies keep their tape-centric backup systems while minimizing physical storage and streamlining the data migration process. As cloud adoption becomes increasingly crucial, that could make a substantial difference for businesses relying on legacy infrastructure.

AWS Private 5G Streamlines 5G Deployment

Another highlight from re:Invent 2021 was the announcement of AWS Private 5G. This managed service approach to 5G equips companies with all the necessary infrastructure to create private 5G networks. That way, businesses can capitalize on this new technology without waiting for public infrastructure to catch up.

This approach to 5G also gives organizations more control over their network capacity while keeping costs low. Facilities could deploy these networks in a matter of days, enabling new edge computing and IoT workflows with minimal downtime.

Karpenter Autoscales Kubernetes Workloads

AWS plans to streamline more than just network deployment, too. The company also revealed Karpenter, a new Kubernetes autoscaling tool. The open-source project will automatically add or terminate nodes as users' Kubernetes workloads expand or shrink.

This automated scaling feature will let businesses balance costs and capacity as their Kubernetes applications ebb and flow. Considering scalability is the number one driver of cloud adoption, any improvements to AWS's scalability will be significant. This update will help deliver on the cloud's promise of cost-effective, easy scaling.

Containerized Software Comes to AWS Marketplace

Karpenter wasn't the only containerization news at this year's re:Invent, either. AWS users will now be able to subscribe to containerized software directly from AWS Marketplace.

Bringing these subscriptions to Marketplace will make containerized workflows more accessible to companies new to the cloud. They'll have access to lower contract pricing, flexible payment options and other Marketplace benefits for these increasingly popular types of software.

Direct Connect SiteLink Brings Data Centers Together

AWS re:Invent 2021 also held some promising news for organizations running their own data centers. A new service called Direct Connect SiteLink will connect their on-premise infrastructure directly, bypassing public Internet or fixed networks.

Direct Connect SiteLink will also let users connect these facilities without going through AWS regions, avoiding any complications that may come with that. This could let organizations maximize site-to-site connectivity, following the shortest possible path. Managing on-premise infrastructure could become far easier and more efficient as a result.

+++

AWS re:Invent 2021 Delivered a Glimpse Into the Future

As one would expect from AWS today, re:Invent 2021 offered many exciting updates, painting a positive picture of cloud computing's future. How exactly these new offerings turn out is still uncertain, but they could have a substantial impact on companies across the globe.

If this year's re:Invent is any indication, cloud computing is making remarkable progress. The field is becoming more accessible, efficient and versatile with every passing year.

##

About the Author